New Horror Manga Adaptation Launches on Web Comic Action
Renowned horror novelist Mikito Chinen has taken his latest thriller from page to panel, with a manga version of Restricted Reading: Psychiatric Evaluation Report of a Bizarre Murderer debuting on Futabasha’s digital platform Web Comic Action on September 25.
The original novel, released by Futabasha in September 2025, follows psychiatrist Dr. Kasumi Uehara as she conducts a chilling evaluation of a serial killer responsible for eleven murders across Tokyo. As Uehara delves deeper, the narrative peels back layers of darkness hidden within the perpetrator’s mind, blending procedural suspense with unsettling psychological horror.
To bring the story into illustrated form, author Mikito Chinen teamed up with manga artist Hiromoto Komatsu. Their collaboration translates the novel’s tense atmosphere into stark black‑and‑white panels, preserving the clinical feel of a forensic report while amplifying the visceral dread of each revelation.
The serialization is hosted on Futabasha’s official site, and readers can access the first episode here: Web Comic Action episode page. Futabasha, a veteran publisher known for its diverse manga catalog, announced the launch as part of its ongoing push to digitize niche genre titles, especially horror works that thrive in online readership.
Chinen’s recent output has been prolific. Earlier this year, he and artist Kiyo Hasui rolled out the sci‑fi action series Prometheus Taisen on Kadokawa’s ComicWalker platform (June 10). Additionally, his long‑running “Ameku Takao’s Detective Karte” franchise, illustrated by Eri Takenashi, concluded its third compiled volume on July 7 after a two‑year run in Good! Afternoon. Those series were adapted into an anime that premiered in January 2025 (Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective) and a live‑action drama that aired in April 2025, both streamed internationally by Crunchyroll.
While the new horror manga stands apart from Chinen’s detective‑focused titles, it benefits from the author’s established fanbase and the growing appetite for dark, psychological stories in the manga market. The novel series itself has surpassed three million copies in cumulative circulation, a milestone highlighted by both Shinchosha (original publisher, 2014‑2022) and Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, which began re‑issuing the twelve‑volume run and adding three new volumes in 2023.
Industry observers note that the timing aligns with a broader trend of adapting niche literary works into digital manga, a format that offers quicker turnaround and direct reader feedback. Futabasha’s Web Comic Action has become a hub for such projects, hosting titles ranging from horror to slice‑of‑life, and the platform’s analytics suggest a steady increase in readership for psychological thrillers.
Fans eager to experience Chinen’s unsettling narrative in visual form can follow the weekly releases on Web Comic Action, where each chapter continues Dr. Uehara’s methodical dissection of the killer’s psyche. With the novel’s reputation for intricate plotting and the artist’s crisp, stark illustration style, the manga promises to deliver the same chilling intensity that made the original book a bestseller.
Featured image: © Futabasha Publishers Ltd., Mikito Chinen, Hiromoto Komatsu
Source: Anime News Network